This invention relates to optical materials, devices, and methods of fabrication.
Optical materials used in optical devices such as optical fibers and optical waveguides are widely used in electronics and communication to transmit data and signal over large geographic distances and variations in terrain. Optical materials are also used in signaling devices and in computer communication for shorter range data transfer. Selective design and choice of optical fiber and optical cladding materials ensures a high fidelity signal, low optical loss (or loss of signal) and a desired long life. Optical waveguide devices make use of the ability to control the pathway a beam of light follows by controlling the refractive indices of the materials used. Optical waveguide materials are increasingly required in many optical focusing, spreading, bending and transmitting applications.
Optical waveguide materials have been conventionally made from a variety of materials such as quartz, glass, acrylates, epoxies and transparent plastics and complex polymers. Silica based materials have been found potentially useful for applications where low optical loss is desired but these materials are typically expensive to manufacture.
What is needed is a cost effective method using an optical material with low optical loss to form an optical device. What is also needed is improved reliability and thermal stability in the optical material.